British ebookers visit 3.5 sites on average when researching a holiday

Dec 15, 2011

A research has highlighted that the importance of the Internet for holiday makers remains strong with 38 percent of British adults surveyed online saying they only use the Internet when researching a holiday and 29 percent saying they only use the Internet to book a holiday.

According to Tealeaf’s report, The ebooker: understanding how travel customers use the web, ebookers visit 3.5 sites on average when researching a holiday. A vast 69 percent of holidaymakers said they would visit the same website more than once before completing a transaction. Also, only 11 percent of British online adults said they tend to book their holiday with the same provider each time (also 11 percent in 2010).

A positive customer experience is still a priority for 42 percent of ebookers when booking a holiday, second only to price (66 percent).

mcommerce

Regarding mobile, the study found that mcommerce has truly arrived and, when it comes to travel, consumers are already using mobile devices as part of the ebooking process.

Amongst the online repsondents, 45 percent said they own a mobile device that allows them to browse the internet.

Of these, in the last 12 months:

• 17 percent have researched a holiday on a mobile app or mobile website

• 3 percent have booked their holiday on a mobile app or mobile website

• 12 percent admit to having downloaded a mobile app related to travel

• Mobile apps have been used by 8 percent to research a holiday

• This is compared to 14 percent that have used a mobile website to conduct research

(Total sample size was 2060 adults).